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AUSTIN — Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst repeated his call Tuesday for legislators to investigate the alleged character assassination of embattled university President William Powers by some members of the University of Texas' Board of Regents, referencing anonymous letters about Powers' marriage and family.

Meanwhile, House Committee on Higher Education Chairman Dan Branch, D-Dallas, has asked for a legal briefing on whether a process existed in state law for the recall or impeachment of university regents.

Powers, who's the recent target of sharp criticism by several UT regents, was honored Monday with resolutions passed in the House and Senate.

After a dozen senators spoke in Powers' favor, Dewhurst became emotional and defensive of Powers, who was appointed in 2006.

“This man deserves better treatment than what he's been given. I'm really upset about this,” said Dewhurst, his voice cracking. “This issue is bigger than UT Austin or President Powers. This is about the reputation of the State of Texas.”

Unsigned letters brought to Dewhurst's attention apparently bring into question Powers' relationship with his wife, Kim Heilbrun, who graduated from the UT law school while Powers was a professor there, according to published reports.

“There are a number of different subjects that the Senate will want to look at,” in an investigation
, Dewhurst told reporters during Tuesday's session. If hearings are held on Dewhurst's complaint, they
could take place in a joint legislative committee or in the Senate's Committee on Higher Education, chaired by Sen. Kel Seliger, R-Amarillo.

Seliger said he didn't think details of Powers' budding relationship with Heilbrun 30 years ago are relevant to his ability to run the university.

“There were clearly some allegations made of letters impugning the wife of the president — what is that about?” Seliger said.

He added he had not seen any such letters but planned to subpoena or request them if the item comes before his committee.

Powers and Heilbrun dated while they both were at UT, but not as student-professor, said Sen. Judith Zaffirini, the committee's former chairwoman.

“They started dating and she was not his student at the time, and I got that directly from” Powers, said Zaffirini, D-Laredo.

She said allegations that regents were trying to usurp Powers are a continuation of contention from 2011.

“There was a huge controversy and much concern that there were some regents who were questioning his leadership, who were not being supportive and micro-managing,” she said, “and apparently this is an eruption of the same problem.”

Branch said he was concerned that some regents were “micromanaging” the UT System and engaging in “small personal picking at one college president,” citing second-guessing by regents on employment decisions.

He would not say whether the situation could warrant the impeachment or recall of regents, but said, “I look forward to reading (the staff counsel's) briefing paper.”

Terms expired Feb. 1 for three of nine UT regents appointed by Gov. Rick Perry. They'll continue to serve until new appointments are made, a process that Perry spokesman Josh Havens said is ongoing.

Seliger said that if the regents are unhappy with Powers, they should take action.

“For the Board of Regents to try to run someone off is ridiculous. They can fire him and hire somebody else, that is their responsibility,” he said. “But simply making things tough, or letting allegations develop, is irresponsible. It's not a way to treat your employees, either.”

Stalwart UT alums of both political parties have organized to support Powers, who they believe is under attack by Perry.

Havens said Perry “has been very pleased with the efficiencies and reforms taking place at the University of Texas System and on each individual campus,” and that he “highly respects each of the board members, and trusts them to manage the system in a manner that is in the best interests of the students and the taxpayers.”